HAIM Graces Bunbury with their Danceworthy Rock

With HAIM, there’s a distinct chance that we’re witnessing the early years of one of America’s alltime great rock bands. With a debut record that played like a greatest hits album and fans ranging from Taylor Swift to Jay-Z to Pitchfork, the sky seems to be the limit. The three sisters started performing under the HAIM moniker in 2007, but didn’t make it their primary concern until 2012. In the interim, Danielle cut her chops performing with Jenny Lewis, CeeLo Green, and Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas. But once the trio regrouped, things went quickly; their digitally-released EP Forever came out right before an appearance at SXSW in Austin, and a deal with Polydor Records followed soon after. The band’s debut LP Days Are Gone arrived on record store shelves in September, 2013, and while it was definitely successful on their home turf, it became an absolute juggernaut overseas.

Days Are Gone is as sunny as its cover photo, steeped in the sonics of the 80’s and chock-full of echoing drums, soaring hooks, and shimmering synth lines. Stevie Nicks’s early solo output is an obvious (and common) parallel, but there are strong elements of hazy R&B as well. Bubbly “The Wire” made the biggest impact, cracking the top 20 in UK radio play, but the breezy “If I Could Change Your Mind” is the masterpiece. “Back when you were mine/I was to young to know you were the one to find.” Throughout the album, the Haim sisters are remarkably adept at distilling the promise and anxiety of a relationship down to its essence and wrapping it all in a propulsive pop melody. The ensuing tour took them all over the world, hitting nearly every major festival and touring with the likes of Mumford & Sons and their friend Taylor Swift.

Now, the sisters are back out on the road in advance of their much-anticipated sophomore album, hitting Governor’s Ball, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and several other major festivals following their Bunbury appearance. Their set will include a sneak peak of that upcoming record, and if recent shows are any indication, will also showcase a timely cover song. The new album could be the one that sends them into the stratosphere, and Bunbury will be a key part of the launchpad.